harry potter on the web - Page 2

NatCh · 07-21-2007, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

It's not like reading the LAST chapter to them.

In Texas, that might qualify a body for "he needed killin'" status.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

... like how many students there are at the school ....

I'm not the only one who noticed that then? I spend a lot of time while reading these books subconsciously trying to figure out how there can be such large crowds at the quidditch matches, and only five male Gryffindors in Harry's year ....

nekokami · 07-22-2007, 06:22 AM

Rowling has acknowledged in an interview that she messed that up, airily commenting "I've never been good at maths." I guess she was thinking of about 1000 students in the school, but had only named about 40 in Harry's year (counting the girls and the other 4 houses, in addition to the 5 you mentioned).

Another often-noted flaw is in book 3, Prisoner of Azkaban, in which a character changes into a werewolf at a dramatically appropriate, but astronomically odd moment. There's also a known error in book 4, Goblet of Fire, when the order of Harry's parents' deaths is accidentally reversed. This has been attributed to an editing error. Small flaws like these tend to provide fodder for discussions between fans, but I think they don't interfere with the overall enjoyment of the books. The characters behave consistently, which I think is more important (and harder to manage, at least judging by the writings of some authors).

NatCh · 07-22-2007, 09:55 AM

I'd missed the astronomical anomaly, but noticed the order error (plus a few others that escape me at the moment). The numbers were the only one that bothered me.

But I fully agree that none that I noticed make any difference in enjoying the stories, and she does a phenomenal job of juggling a lot of details.

nekokami · 07-24-2007, 08:51 AM

Now, the whole Goblet of Fire portkey setup... THAT was silly. Plus the book is loaded with silly teen angst. (Can you tell that one wasn't my favorite?)

NatCh · 07-24-2007, 11:35 AM

Yeah, and Order was laden with barely controlled teen anger, of course the detail that they're about teens increased my patience with those aspects.

My least favorite is Order, but it's because that woman is just so ... malicious. (hem, hem)

nekokami · 07-24-2007, 12:23 PM

What saved Order for me was the subversive teaching aspect. I liked the kids deciding they needed to teach each other, since the adults weren't doing it. There's also some pretty interesting stuff about the history of the Wizard world in there, as well as interesting info about Snape. But yeah, the teen anger was a bit hard to take at times, though as you point out, you have to allow for the fact that the main characters are teens, after all, and in addition, there's the influence of Voldemort on Harry.

Anyway, it was better than Goblet....

Turtle Woman · 07-24-2007, 12:42 PM

Yes, if there are 5 boys and 5 girls in each class in each house that makes 70 per house and 280 altogether. Maybe they have a lot of alumni come for the Quidditch matches.

The attraction for me, besides the humor and adventure, is that Rowling has created a whole world that you walk into with Harry when he goes to Hogwarts. Maybe not as detailed as LOTR, but just as complete.

Besides, who doesn't want to do magic? I always admired the way Molly Weasley could wave her wand and the dishes would wash themselves.

bingle · 07-24-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

I think the hacker cred had the most influence in what happened this week. If Rowling (or her publishers) hadn't made such a big deal of never authorizing digital editions previously, the efforts to convert the books more and more quickly might not have escalated to the point that the hackers felt that they had to get the digital edition out before the actual paper edition to outdo the 24 hour turnaround last time.

Yeah, definitely. There's also some bad feeling towards Rowling in the Open Source and hacker communities because of the lawsuits in Canada last year, where the publisher successfully got an injunction against reading the book before it came out... Essentially making reading a crime! This was for lucky fans who had been sold books by confused stores, so it wasn't the fans' fault at all - and even if it were, making reading illegal seems a step too far.

JSWolf · 07-24-2007, 05:55 PM

On the news, there was a story about a girl who got the book in the mail early and was called and told not to read it before the release date. But it was too late. She had already finished the book in 5 hours. I think that is so lame to have called her.

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07-22-2007, 06:22 AM	#17
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Rowling has acknowledged in an interview that she messed that up, airily commenting "I've never been good at maths." I guess she was thinking of about 1000 students in the school, but had only named about 40 in Harry's year (counting the girls and the other 4 houses, in addition to the 5 you mentioned). Another often-noted flaw is in book 3, Prisoner of Azkaban, in which a character changes into a werewolf at a dramatically appropriate, but astronomically odd moment. There's also a known error in book 4, Goblet of Fire, when the order of Harry's parents' deaths is accidentally reversed. This has been attributed to an editing error. Small flaws like these tend to provide fodder for discussions between fans, but I think they don't interfere with the overall enjoyment of the books. The characters behave consistently, which I think is more important (and harder to manage, at least judging by the writings of some authors).

07-22-2007, 09:55 AM	#18
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I'd missed the astronomical anomaly, but noticed the order error (plus a few others that escape me at the moment). The numbers were the only one that bothered me. But I fully agree that none that I noticed make any difference in enjoying the stories, and she does a phenomenal job of juggling a lot of details.

07-24-2007, 08:51 AM	#19
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Now, the whole Goblet of Fire portkey setup... THAT was silly. Plus the book is loaded with silly teen angst. (Can you tell that one wasn't my favorite?)

07-24-2007, 11:35 AM	#20
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Yeah, and Order was laden with barely controlled teen anger, of course the detail that they're about teens increased my patience with those aspects. My least favorite is Order, but it's because that woman is just so ... malicious. (hem, hem)

07-24-2007, 12:23 PM	#21
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	What saved Order for me was the subversive teaching aspect. I liked the kids deciding they needed to teach each other, since the adults weren't doing it. There's also some pretty interesting stuff about the history of the Wizard world in there, as well as interesting info about Snape. But yeah, the teen anger was a bit hard to take at times, though as you point out, you have to allow for the fact that the main characters are teens, after all, and in addition, there's the influence of Voldemort on Harry. Anyway, it was better than Goblet....

07-24-2007, 12:42 PM	#22
Turtle Woman Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roswell, NM Device: Sony Reader	Yes, if there are 5 boys and 5 girls in each class in each house that makes 70 per house and 280 altogether. Maybe they have a lot of alumni come for the Quidditch matches. The attraction for me, besides the humor and adventure, is that Rowling has created a whole world that you walk into with Harry when he goes to Hogwarts. Maybe not as detailed as LOTR, but just as complete. Besides, who doesn't want to do magic? I always admired the way Molly Weasley could wave her wand and the dishes would wash themselves.

07-24-2007, 05:55 PM	#24
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,835 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	On the news, there was a story about a girl who got the book in the mail early and was called and told not to read it before the release date. But it was too late. She had already finished the book in 5 hours. I think that is so lame to have called her.

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